Simulated camp-stove toy

ABSTRACT

Air for sparger ring on simulated cooking vessels is supplied by air pump on a simulated camp stove including carrying case and simulated grill. Air pump includes spring-driven piston slideably mounted on piston rod so child user may continue simulated pumping strokes while return spring drives piston on its power stroke.

United States Patent Rich et al.

Inventors;

Assignee:

Filed:

Appl.

SIMULATED CAMP-STOVE TOY Hubert Rich, Westminster; Robert R. Rosas, Long Beach, both of Calif.

Mattel, lnc., Hawthorne, Calif.

Sept. 27, 1973 us. c1; 46/39; 46/44 im. a i. A631 33/30 Field of Search 46/44, 39, I4; 4l7/57l;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Goldberg H 4l7/57l 1 June 3, 1975 3.205.610 9/1965 Palumbo et al 46/l4 1643.645 2/1972 Benson 126/38 Primary Examiner-F. Barry Shay Assistant E.\'umirrer-J. O. Lever Attorney. Agent, or FirmMax E. Shirk; Stephen L. King l 57 1 ABSTRACT Air for sparger ring on simulated cooking vessels is supplied by air pump on a simulated camp stove including carrying case and simulated grill. Air pump includes spring-driven piston slideably mounted on piston rod so child user may continue simulated pumping strokes while return spring drives piston on its power stroke.

2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures SIMULATED CAMP-STOVE TOY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The background of the in\ ention will be set forth in two parts.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention pertains generally to the field of pneumatic toy stoves and more particularly to a toy of this type which simulates a camp stove.

2v Description of the Prior Art The prior art known to Applicant is listed by way of illustration. but not of limitation. in separate communications to the United States Patent Office.

The present invention exemplifies improvements over this prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and useful simulated camp-stove toy of the pneumatic type.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a toy of the type described which includes a rigid. flat rectangular carrying case and a hand pump having a spring which drives the pump piston on its power stroke.

According to the present invention. a simulated camp-stme toy includes a rigid. flat rectangular carrying case having a bottom portion. a top portion and hinge means swingably connecting the top portion to the bottom portion. An air-outlet orifice and an air pump are mounted in the bottom portion and a conduit places the air pump in fluid communication with the orifice Simulated cooking vessels of the pneumatic type may then be mounted on the orifice for receiving air from the pump.

The pump includes a hand-operated piston rod on which a piston is slideably mounted in such a manner that the piston rod will move the piston only during the air-inlet stroke. A power spring then returns the piston on its power stroke discharging air through a small orifree which meters air into the air-outlet orifice in the carrying case during return of the piston by the spring. The spring rate is such that the return stroke extends over at least seconds of time. With this arrangement. a childuser may continue stroking the pump piston rod in simulation of the pumping action required to pres surize the fuel tank on a real camp-stove without interfering with the supply of air to the air-outlet orifice in the carrying case.

A simulated grill is also mounted in the bottom of the carrying case and surrounds the air-outlet orifice to simulate a gas-burner and grill combination.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be not e] are set forth with particularity in the appended claims, The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation. together with further objects and advantages thereof. may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like ele ments in the several views BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of a simulated campstove toy constituting a presently preferred cmbodimerit of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged. cross-sectional view taken along line 22 of HG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the campsto\e toy shown FIG. 1 with a simulated cooking utensil in position thereon:

FIG. 4 is an enlarged bottom view of the cooking utensil of FIG 3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged. partial cross-sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring again to the drawings. and more particularly to FIGS I and 2, a simulated camp'stove toy constituting a presently preferred embodiment of the invention. generally designated 10, includes a rigid. flat rectangular carrying case 12 having a bottom portion 14, a top portion 16, hinges 18, 20, which swingably connect top portion 16 to bottom portion [4. and a carrying handle 22. Top portion 16 may be closed upon bottom portion 14 and secured thereon by engaging upper hasp portions 24, 26 on lower hasp portions 28. 30, respectively.

Bottom portion I4 may be molded from a suitable plastic material, such as an acetal resin. for example. and includes a bottom wall 32 and an encompassing side wall 34 including a front wall portion 36. Bottom wall 32 includes an elevated portion 37 forming a ledge 38 adjacent front wall 36, whereby a cavity 40 is formed between front wall 36 and ledge 38. The elevated portion 37 of bottom wall 32 is provided with a plurality of apertures. like the ones shown at 42, 44. for receiving the supporting legs 46, 48, respectively. of a simulated grill 50. Bottom wall 32 is also provided with an upstanding. hollow cylindrical boss 52 having a top wall 54 upon which an air-outlet orifice S6 is mounted in fluid communication with a molded conduitreceiving channel 58 which, in turn, is in fluid communication with cavity 40 for receiving a conduit to be hereinafter described.

Camp-stove toy 10 also includes an air pump 60 having a cylinder 62 closed by a first end cap 64 and a second end cap 66. End cap 66 is provided with an aper ture 68 in which a piston rod 70 is slideably mounted. Piston rod 70 includes a first end 72 to which the hub portion 74 of an end plate 76 is affixed and an end 78 to which an operating handle 80 is affixed.

Air pump 60 includes a piston assembly 86 which is loosely mounted on piston rod 70 and includes a rigid plate portion 88 and a sealing portion 90. The sealing portion 90 seals along both the inner surface of cylinder 62 and rod 70. Air pump 60 also includes a compression spring 92 encompassing piston rod 70 and having a first end 94 seated against piston assembly 86 and a second end 96 seated against end cap 66 for biasing piston assembly 86 into engagement with plate 76. Spring 92 may be loaded by grasping handle 80 and moving piston rod 70 in the direction of arrow 98 so that plate 76 will push piston assembly 86 toward end cap 66. Handle 80 may then be released and spring 92 will drive piston assembly 86 toward end cap 64. Alternatively. handle 80 may be moved in the direction of arrow I00 moving plate 76 away from piston assembly 86 which is still free to move toward end cap 64 under the influence of spring 92. End cap 64 is provided with a metering orifice 102 through which air is slowly cit pcllcd by piston assembly 86 during it movement from end cap 66 to end cap 64. The parameters for spring 92 and orifice 102 are chosen in such a manner that it will take at least 311 seconds for piston assembly 86 to complete its power stroke from end cap 66 to end cap 64. During this time. a child-user may reciprocate handle 80 in simulation of a pumping action without affecting the power stroke of piston assembly 86. providing the simulated pumping stroke is reversed each time plate 76 contacts piston assembly 86. Conversely. piston assembly 86 could be returned to end cap 66 during each pumping stroke in the direction of arrow 98.

Pump 60 is placed in fluid communication with airoutlet orifice 56 by a conduit 104 having a first end 106 connected to orifice 102 on end cap 64 and a second end 108 connected to orifice 56 in carrying case 12. Air pump 60 may be secured in cavity 40 by a first lug 110 which passes through an opening 112 in the elevated portion 37 of bottom wall 32 and engages the lower surface 114 thereof and by second and third lugs 116 118 passing through openings 120, 122. respectively. in bottom wall 32 and engaging the lower sur' face 124 thereof. Lugs 116, 118 may be secured in position by protuberances 126, 128 carried by a cover plate 130 adhesively. or otherwise. secured to bottom wall 32.

With the exception of spring 92 which may be made from suitable metalic materials, all of the components of toy may be made from suitable plastics and by manufacturing techniques which will manifest themselves to those skilled in the art. For example. sealing portion 90 of piston assembly 86 may be made from a suitable Neoprene rubber and should be thin enough and flexible enough to seal against cylinder 62 and to minimize the pull required to move piston assembly 86 from end cap 64 to end cap 66. A sealing portion 90 which is 116 inch thick has been found to be satisfactory and thicknesses within a range of about 0.035 inch to 0.085 inch may be used.

Referring now to FlG'S. 3-5, camp-stove toy 10 may be used to simulate a cooking operation by placing a toy cooking vessel 131 in fluid communication with airoutlet orifice 56 for applying air to a body water 132 in cooking vessel 131 causing the water to bubble in simulation of a boiling pot. Vessel 131 includes a bottom wall 134 which is provided with a cavity 136 having a bottom wall 138 which in turn. is provided with a plurality of apertures 140, 142, 144 and 146 forming a sparger ring in vessel 131 so that air will be supplied to the body of water 132 in a dispersed pattern. The body of water 132 is retained in vessel 131 by a flappertype valve 148 having a stern 150 passing through an aperture 152 in bottom wall 138. Stern 150 may include the portion shown in FIG. 5 in broken lines at 154 which may be grasped by a person mounting valve 148 in vessel 131 to pull stem 150 through aperture 152. After this assembly operation. the broken line portion 154 may be removed. It will. of course. be apparent to those skilled in the art that air flowing from aperture 56 through apertures 140, 142, 144 and 146 will unseat the lip portion 156 of valve 148 and that the pressure of the body of water 132 will seat lip 156 when the air flow is terminated.

In use. toy cooking vessel 131 may be filled with water and placed on camp-stove toy I0 by engaging sparger ring 147 with orifice 56. Air may then be sup plied to the atcr in vessel 131 by moving pump handle (iii in the direction of arrow 98 to load spring )2. Handle 80 may then be released or moved in the direction of arrow 1110 leaving piston assembly 186 free to travel in the direction of arrow under the influence of spring 92 for pumping air through metering orifice 102. conduit [04, orifice 56 and sparger ring 147. Air will then unseat lip 156 of valve 148 and cause the water in vessel to bubble in simulation of a boiling pot.

While the particular camp-stove toy herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated; it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the inven tion and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims which form a part of this disclosure. Whenever the term means" is employed in these claims. this term is to be interpreted as defining the corresponding structure illustrated and described in this specification or the equivalent of the same.

What is claimed is:

l. A simulated camp-stove toy comprising;

1 a carrying case;

2. an airoutlet orifice mounted in said carrying case.

3. an air pump mounted in said carrying case. said air pump comprising;

A. a hollow cylindrical member;

B. first and second end caps closing said cylindrical member;

C. a piston rod slideably mounted in one of said end caps said piston rod having a first end ex tending beyond said one of said end caps outside said cylindrical member and a second end extending beyond said one of said end caps inside said cylindrical member;

D. a metering orifice provided in the other of said end caps;

E. a piston assembly slideably mounted on said piston rod intermediate said first and second ends thereof;

F. plate means affixed to said second end of said piston rod for engaging said piston assembly to move it toward said one of said end caps when said first end of said piston rod is moved away from said one of said end caps exteriorly of said cylindrical member; and

G. a power spring encompassing said piston rod and having one end bearing against said piston assembly and another end bearing against said one of said end caps for moving said piston assembly on a pumping power stroke toward said other of said end caps when said first end of said piston rod is released after said movement away from said one of said end caps;

4. conduit means placing said metering orifice in fluid Communication with said air-outlet orifice. and

5. simulated cooking-vessel means mounted in said carrying case in fluid communication with said airoutlet orifice.

2. A camp-stove toy as stated in claim 1 wherein said metering orifice and said power spring are coordinated in size to provide a pumping power stroke lasting at least 31) seconds. 

1. A simulated camp-stove toy, comprising:
 1. a carrying case;
 2. an air-outlet orifice mounted in said carrying case;
 3. an air pump mounted in said carrying case, said air pump comprising; A. a hollow cylindrical member; 2B. first and second end caps closing said cylindrical member; C. a piston rod slideably mounted in one of said end caps said piston rod having a first end extending beyond said one of said end caps outside said cylindrical member and a second end extending beyond said one of said end caps inside said cylindrical member; D. a metering orifice provided in the other of said end caps; E. a piston assembly slideably mounted on said piston rod intermediate said first and second ends thereof; F. plate means affixed to said second end of said piston rod for engaging said piston assembly to move it toward said one of said end caps when said first end of said piston rod is moved away from said one of said end caps exteriorly of said cylindrical member; and G. a power spring encompassing said piston rod and having one end bearing against said piston assembly and another end bearing against said one of said end caps for moving said piston assembly on a pumping power stroke toward said other of said end caps when said first end of said piston rod is released after said movement away from said one of said end caps;
 4. conduit means placing said metering orifice in fluid communication with said air-outlet orifice; and
 5. simulated cooking-vessel means mounted in said carrying case in fluid communication with said air-outlet orifice.
 1. A simulated camp-stove toy, comprising:
 1. a carrying case;
 3. an air pump mounted in said carrying case, said air pump comprising; A. a hollow cylindrical member; B. first and second end caps closing said cylindrical member; C. a piston rod slideably mounted in one of said end caps said piston rod having a first end extending beyond said one of said end caps outside said cylindrical member and a second end extending beyond said one of said end caps inside said cylindrical member; D. a metering orifice provided in the other of said end caps; E. a piston assembly slideably mounted on said piston rod intermediate said first and second ends thereof; F. plate means affixed to said second end of said piston rod for engaging said piston assembly to move it toward said one of said end caps when said first end of said piston rod is moved away from said one of said end caps exteriorly of said cylindrical member; and G. a power spring encompassing said piston rod and having one end bearing against said piston assembly and another end bearing against said one of said end caps for moving said piston assembly on a pumping power stroke toward said other of said end caps when said first end of said piston rod is released after said movement away from said one of said end caps;
 4. conduit means placing said metering orifice in fluid communication with said air-outlet orifice; and
 5. simulated cooking-vessel means mounted in said carrying case in fluid communication with said air-outlet orifice. 